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1996 Kentucky Senate election

The 1996 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 5, 1996. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 28. Half of the senate (all odd-numbered seats) were up for election. Despite the Democratic Party maintaining a majority of 20 seats, five members joined all 18 Republicans to elect Larry Saunders the President of the Senate. This gave Republicans effective control of the Senate for the first time since 1920.

A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.

Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4Column 5Column 6Column 7Column 8Column 9Column 10
Democratic162322,90154.23211120-1
Republican161272,48545.7717818+1
Total323595,386100.00381938±0
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

One senator retired, who did not run for another office. Additionally, Mike Moloney resigned from the senate on July 31, 1996.

  1. 15th: James D. Crase (Somerset): Retired.

Two incumbents lost renomination in the primary election, and two incumbents lost reelection in the general election.

Two Democrats lost renomination.

  1. 17th: Charlie Berger (first elected in 1979) lost renomination to Glenn Freeman, who won the general election.
  2. 31st: Kelsey E. Friend Sr. (first elected in 1971) lost renomination to Gary C. Johnson, who won the general election.

No Republicans lost renomination.

One Democrat lost reelection to a Republican.

  1. 23rd: Joseph U. Meyer (first elected in 1988) lost to Jack Westwood.

One Republican lost reelection to a Democrat.

  1. 29th: John David Preston (elected in 1994) lost a redistricting race to fellow incumbent Benny Ray Bailey.

Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election.

† – Incumbent not seeking re-election

DistrictIncumbentPartyElectedParty
1Jeff GreenDemJeff GreenDem
3Joey PendletonDemJoey PendletonDem
5Virgil MooreRepVirgil MooreRep
7Lindy CasebierRepLindy CasebierRep
9Richard "Richie" SandersRepRichard "Richie" SandersRep
11Richard L. "Dick" RoedingRepRichard L. "Dick" RoedingRep
13VacantErnesto ScorsoneDem
15James D. Crase†RepVernie McGahaRep
17Charlie BergerDemGlenn FreemanDem
19Tim ShaughnessyDemTim ShaughnessyDem
21Albert L. RobinsonRepAlbert L. RobinsonRep
23Joseph U. MeyerDemJack WestwoodRep
25John David PrestonRepRobert StiversRep
27Walter "Doc" BlevinsDemWalter "Doc" BlevinsDem
29Benny Ray BaileyDemBenny Ray BaileyDem
31Kelsey E. Friend Sr.DemGary C. JohnsonDem
33Gerald A. NealDemGerald A. NealDem
35David K. KaremDemDavid K. KaremDem
37Larry SaundersDemLarry SaundersDem

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 5, 2.48%
  2. District 7, 4.36%
  3. District 25, 5.44%
  4. District 17, 5.87%
  5. District 23, 8.50% (gain)

Richard "Richie" Sanders was elected in June 1996 following the resignation of Walter Arnold Baker.

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican6,90858.6
Democratic4,88941.4
11,797100.0

§ Special election

Incumbent senator Jeff Green won reelection unopposed.

  • Jeff Green, incumbent senator
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticUnopposed
23,679100.0

Incumbent senator Joey Pendleton won reelection, defeating Republican John Young.

  • Joey Pendleton, incumbent senator

  • John Young

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic13,04355.6
Republican10,41644.4
23,459100.0

Incumbent senator Virgil Moore won reelection, defeating Democrat Joe M. Hager.

  • Joe M. Hager

  • Harold E. Davidson

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic3,45566.9
Democratic1,70633.1
5,161100.0
  • Virgil Moore, incumbent senator
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican16,73851.2
Democratic15,92848.8
32,666100.0

Incumbent senator Lindy Casebier won reelection, defeating Democrat Charles W. Miller.

  • Charles W. Miller

  • Dennis Mitchell

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic4,06851.4
Democratic3,84848.6
7,916100.0
  • Lindy Casebier, incumbent senator
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican19,92952.2
Democratic18,26347.8
38,192100.0

Incumbent senator Richard "Richie" Sanders won reelection, defeating Democrat John "Jake" D. Dickinson.

  • John "Jake" D. Dickinson

  • Richard "Richie" Sanders, incumbent senator

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican19,63260.6
Democratic12,77739.4
32,409100.0

Incumbent senator Richard L. "Dick" Roeding won reelection, defeating Democrat Sandra Easton.

  • Sandra Easton

  • Richard L. "Dick" Roeding, incumbent senator

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican28,60466.2
Democratic14,59533.8
43,199100.0

Incumbent senator Mike Moloney resigned from the senate in July 1996. He was succeeded by Democrat Ernesto Scorsone, who was elected in both the regular election and a special election for the remainder of Moloney's term.

  • Ernesto Scorsone, representative from the 75th district (1985–1996)

  • N. Mitchell Meade

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic18,26261.1
Republican11,63938.9
29,901100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic14,53360.0
Republican9,68640.0
24,219100.0

Incumbent senator James D. Crase did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Vernie McGaha.

  • Gene Daniels

  • Vernie McGaha

  • S. David Carr

  • Larry Sears Nichols

  • William J. Wilson Jr.

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican4,83651.5
Republican1,66517.7
Republican1,53116.3
Republican1,35514.4
9,387100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican23,73372.8
Democratic8,84527.2
32,578100.0

Incumbent Democratic senator Charlie Berger was defeated for renomination by Glenn Freeman.

  • Glenn Freeman

  • Bill Blair Baird

  • Charlie Berger, incumbent senator

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic6,01151.8
Democratic4,16235.9
Democratic1,42112.3
11,594100.0

  • J. C. Ausmus III

  • Johnnie Lloyd Turner

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican2,28659.6
Republican1,54840.4
3,834100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic14,52052.9
Republican12,90947.1
27,429100.0

Incumbent senator Tim Shaughnessy won reelection, defeating Republican Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw.

  • Tim Shaughnessy, incumbent senator

  • Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic24,19859.3
Republican16,63240.7
40,830100.0

Incumbent senator Albert L. Robinson won reelection, defeating primary election challengers.

  • Albert L. Robinson, incumbent senator

  • Michael Dean

  • Helen Jackson

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican3,69462.0
Republican1,57826.5
Republican68811.5
5,960100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanUnopposed
20,450100.0

Incumbent senator Joseph U. Meyer was defeated for reelection by Republican Jack Westwood.

  • Joseph U. Meyer, incumbent senator

  • Jack Westwood

  • Joyce M. Macke

  • Joe Mattioli

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican1,17250.1
Republican70630.2
Republican46019.7
2,338100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican16,42954.3
Democratic13,85445.7
30,283100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

Incumbent senator John David Preston was redistricted to the 29th district and was succeeded by Robert Stivers.

  • Charles M. Derrickson

  • Robert Stivers

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican14,02752.7
Democratic12,57947.3
26,606100.0

Incumbent senator Walter "Doc" Blevins won reelection, defeating Republican Randy Memmer.

  • Walter "Doc" Blevins, incumbent senator

  • Randy Memmer

  • Mary "Candy" Parker

  • Duane Porter

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican1,11843.0
Republican1,03840.0
Republican44117.0
2,597100.0
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic18,21160.1
Republican12,11339.9
30,324100.0

Incumbent senator Benny Ray Bailey won reelection, defeating Republican senator John David Preston, who had been redistricted from the 25th district.

  • Benny Ray Bailey, incumbent senator

  • John David Preston, senator from the 25th district (1994–1997)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic18,87861.2
Republican11,97838.8
30,856100.0

Incumbent Democratic senator Kelsey E. Friend Sr. was defeated for renomination by Gary C. Johnson.

  • Gary C. Johnson

  • Kelsey E. Friend Sr., incumbent senator

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic8,32254.6
Democratic6,92345.4
15,245100.0
  • Kevin Hall
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic18,16764.1
Republican10,15435.9
28,321100.0

Incumbent senator Gerald A. Neal won reelection unopposed.

  • Gerald A. Neal, incumbent senator
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticUnopposed
24,373100.0

Incumbent senator David K. Karem won reelection, defeating Republican Bruce McCrea.

  • David K. Karem, incumbent senator

  • Bruce McCrea

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic30,38165.4
Republican16,09634.6
46,477100.0

Incumbent senator Larry Saunders won reelection, defeating Republican William C. Cothron.

  • Larry Saunders, incumbent senator

  • William C. Cothron

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic22,34867.0
Republican11,00633.0
33,354100.0
  • 1996 Kentucky elections
    • 1996 Kentucky House of Representatives election
    • 1996 United States Senate election in Kentucky
    • 1996 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
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